Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1887-05-24
icoJnsli. i.'i. ~ Ai-cod fsri.'l
THE GOOD OLD TIMES OF A
CENTURY AGO.
BY JupdE G.. z. WnirN,S.
CAap,sr ~.
A rRurrLr. JOURNEY.
Chapter TX

The nsI, day found Squire George
simpson seated in the back part OF
stage coach. bound ior Plymouth. distant
from B,.,on Abou, forty miles. Two
thing. the "old "a" never did when uav'
cling. lie neither rode on the box With
the driver nor engaged in eonversA'ion
~i,h hi. fello~ travellers. lie slsAy.
paid hi. fare promptly in advance. and
asked no questions aud rarely answered
any II /, eculd possibly be avoided. la
ero.d,d coaches. he would invariably be
found ,queersd into corner. With his
Ia, pulled down over hi. eyes. in deep
meditation. bu, when there ~as more ell
bowroom hi. face would Be turned away
fiom the passengers. apparently gsfins
oa, upon the changing Landscape.
Ga ,h., particular morning. the coach
wa. no. crowded. and be busted himself
With watching the shifting scene. s II
rolled over broad highway. lie no.
,ieed the large wooden bridge. built on
tre.,le work In shallow water across al
arm Of the sea. over which they had
crossed upon leaving the city. and one
nigh, have supposed from the in,ere', be
took in the structure. th., he ~s' = build
er Of bridge. instead Of drawer Of ~i!I'.
a collector Of claims. aud plssdsr OF
eAu.s.,-in .hof, q bArri.,sr al Law.
The highway ran over hill IN the
town Of Milton. from which could be seen
= beautiful view Of the surrounding eoan-
try. and one that has often delighted the
eye and hear, Of many a traveller The
driver stopped to re', his horses, and the
passengers improved the opportunity to
",isw the landscape o'er."
"How beautiful" wa. the exclamation
on every hand. The attorney ..id not
word. but even be WAS delighted with
the prospect ona penin.uls proi'eiin Z
toward the northeast, was seen the eiiy
Of Boston. built on several hills, with
the State House dome seeming TO crown
all the buildings. Al their fee, was the
LITTLE river Nsponset. winding away
through broad and green meadows I'LL l,
va. los, in the waters OF the hArbor.
while broad highway led into the city
in the distance. They had ba, moment
or two TO look =, this beautiful scene.
when
"crsek -en, the whip and round -eai the
whe.ls.-
and the stage coach rolled along once
more toward the oldes, town in New
England.
A. the day advanced the lawyer be.
came weary Of seeing. as they passed.
the people a, work on their farms. the
ships building on streams flowing into
the sea. and the loungsn around the
public houses. where stops were made to
deliver the mails. take on or let off pas.
senger., and he drew back into corner
Of the coach aud WAS soon los, in med.
i,s,ion. from which he was no, aroused
ill he had arrived At his destination.
lie took lodgings =, one Of the putlic
houses In the town, and after supper
went Immediately TO bis room. IL Was
now evening, and as be was unsequain,-
ed With any Of the people. be deemed IL
beet to wait for the morrow before trying
TO ascertain the whereabouts Of Elizabeth
Bslchsr. by inqairing =, the pos, office
and public houses. be readily concluded
,hs, be would easily find where she lived.
Nevertheless there was . feeling ,hs,
perhaps. after ell. he might be on "~ild
goose chase" The matter Was 50 impor.
t.nt that he hadn't taken this contingent
ey into consideration. Why the crone
had deceived him sbou, the second will,
be couldn't understand. lie had sup
posed that il was destroyed. for she had
told him 90. and jus, what her objse,
Was In keeping !, in existence he could
not make out. IL was mystery. eef-
tainly, but his connection with the sffAii
had been such that IL wouldn't do to have
IL Investigated. II the second will was
in existence. he must get possession OF u
and destroy II.
With such reflections ss these, be re-
tired early. but il Was long time before
be fell asleep. and when morning came,
he swoks with the memory Of dream
which was anything bat pleasant and
agreeable.
He dreamed iha, the sbado~y form oI
man with scowling vissge had bent
over him. and in fierce tones demanded
what be had done with his wife and
ehildren's property. The scene shifted
and away in the forest. three orphar
children, pressed BY the cravings OF hun
ger, went forth to gather berries and nuts
to save them from starvation. Agar
the scene changed. and be Vas 10 : court
n - 4